Call of Duty: Ghosts' second-screen experience ties into multiplayer

Much of Call of Duty: Ghosts' multiplayer experience remains a mystery, but it seems that some sort of second-screen experience is part of the plans. We already know thatInfinity Ward is keen on additional peripherals like Xbox's Smartglass, but the studio is still exploring how to best use them.

"It’s a little more of a challenge when it comes to our types of games," Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin said. "Looking away from the screen when the action is intense is obviously a challenge from a game design standpoint. So we have to be careful about that.

"We have some ideas that I think are going to develop further as we go along in this generation. As with anything with a next-gen launch, you’ll start by dipping your toe in the water in a few places, and then move along from there."

It look as though right now the game's multiplayer experience will be the biggest beneficiary of such technology. Although Infinity Ward isn't ready to further discuss ideas, Rubin did let on that they have a "whole department - a whole studio, basically - wrapped around the idea of second-screen."

"Our Beachhead group is doin ga lot of work there," he said. "But a lot of it ties into multiplayer and I can't talk too much about it now."

One thing he did emphasize was that such a companion app for Ghosts would be free.

"It’s free,” he assured. “And this is where you have to be smart on your design: You can’t make it required, and it can’t confer a massive advantage. There’s some balancing that needs to be done. You don’t want it so the guy with an iPad has an advantage over other players in multiplayer just because he has the money to buy an iPad.

“But it will definitely be free, and it will be a companion. It won’t be a revenue generator. It will be used to enhance the experience but not offer any advantages," Rubin concluded.

That's where things can get a little tricky -- how does one determine an advantage over an enhanced experience? Right off the bat, I can think of how a second screen can help tremendously when calling down airstrikes. Rather than pulling up the screen and blocking anyone that might sneak up on you, you could be able to pinpoint the location from your second device, freeing up your screen to see oncoming enemies. Could this be viewed as an advantage, though? Granted this is only one vague example, but my point is a second screen can always be seen as an advantage to someone who doesn't have one.

Are you for or against the use of a second screen in Call of Duty: Ghosts? Will someone be at a clear advantage by using a second device?